Dylan Moses’ tweet a few weeks ago made it official: Louisiana lost its top-ranked college prospect for the 2017 class.

“Just touchdown in Florida!!!” the Jan. 16 message read.

The former University High star and ex-LSU commitment had arrived at his new home: IMG Academy, a boarding school specializing in the academic tutoring and athletic training of college-bound stars.

That move has put a damper on the Bayou State’s 2017 recruiting class.

“If Dylan Moses is still at U-High,” said Sonny Shipp, Louisiana recruiting analyst for 247Sports, “people aren’t saying Louisiana is weak in 2017.”

Moses’ departure — and earlier decommitment from LSU — throws the Tigers’ 2017 recruiting class into some murky waters. The talent pool in the state isn’t as deep as 2016, and it’s not as top-heavy as the loaded 2014 group.

Biggest remaining question mark: After losing ESPN 300 quarterback Feleipe' Franks late in the recruiting cycle, LSU struggled to find a quarterback to replace him in the class before finally offering a scholarship to Louisiana’s Mr. Football, Lindsey Scott Jr., just before signing day.

Scott posted huge numbers and led his team to a state championship as a senior, but he is a three-star prospect whose 5-foot-11 size creates plenty of skepticism about whether he can become an impact player in the SEC. But in addition to his dual-threat abilities, Scott seems to be highly intelligent and a hard worker. He will certainly be an intriguing player to watch over the next few years. It would be asking a lot to expect him to stabilize a position that has been problematic throughout the Miles era, though.

AM | #LSU expects 40 prospects at its first of 2 junior days, where offers go out and, sometimes, commits are made http://bit.ly/1Q9YbXY

Quote

About 40 players are expected at LSU’s junior day event Saturday dubbed “Boys From The Boot,” a day-long, invitation-only affair for Louisiana-only 2017 recruits. These current high school juniors from around the state meet with LSU coaches, tour campus and — this time around — catch a men’s basketball game at the PMAC.

In many ways, “Boys From The Boot” is the unofficial kickoff to the 2017 recruiting calendar, the first big step in building next year’s signing class. Step 2 is next weekend, when the school is set to host a junior day for any 2017 prospects.

A host of scholarship offers are normally delivered at these events, and often prospects make commitments in emotional meetings in coach Les Miles’ office or days later. For example, Saivion Smith, a defensive back from Florida and one of the headliners to the 2016 class, committed three days after his trip to LSU’s junior day last February.

The man’s name was Don Zoloty. That’s really all Paul Henderson knew at the time.

The man approached as Paul and his son — 6-foot-7, 300-pound Justin —

Zoloty returned several minutes later, rushing up to Paul just before the Hendersons left New Orleans.

“He said, ‘Look, I’ve been watching your son, and he’s got all of the tools and I want to tell you about this school in Florida,’ ” Paul Henderson remembered.

Four months later, Justin Henderson moved into dormitories on the plush, 500-acre campus of IMG Academy, about 45 miles south of Tampa.

Henderson spent just a year at IMG, having played his sophomore season there before returning to Denham Springs High School in the summer. The towering offensive lineman missed his family, friends and community too much, Paul said.

Watkins, a 6-foot, 165-pound product of North Marion High School (Citra, Fla.), made his pledge to the Tigers last spring.

“I want to open up all my options,” Watkins told Bartow. “My mom is an LSU fan and I grew up liking them. I felt I made an early decision the day I got that offer and want to visit other places and see how everything is there, too.”

He was the first prospect to commit to LSU’s 2018 recruiting class, which is now at four members following Watkin’s de-commitment.

“This is a fertile state,” he said Wednesday. “We really want to focus on our in-state guys, then work our way out. You want to take care of your backyard. This is an attractive place for recruits. It’s different for me walking into places I’ve recruited in purple and white, and it’s going to be really fun going to these different places.

“I’m excited. I’ve gotten some good feedback from recruits and coaches about coming to areas to recruit already,” added Jabbar Juluke, LSU’s new running backs coach, who was also introduced Wednesday.”

A renowned national recruiter, Craig served as Florida State’s recruiting coordinator from 2011-13 and helped the Seminoles nab the Nos. 1 and 2 classes those years. In 2013, Craig helped lure eventual national champion and Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston...

Both Jordan-Swilling and Swilling are four-star athletes out of Brother Martin High School (New Orleans).

Jordan-Swilling, who measures in at 6-feet, 215 pounds, has played both linebacker and running back at the high school level. Different colleges are courting him at different positions. He is rated as the nation’s No. 6 outside linebacker, but was one of Louisiana’s leading rushers in 2015.

“I talked to coach Cam (Cameron) and coach O (Ed Orgeron) on Friday morning, and they told me that coach Miles wanted to meet with me and my family,” Jones told SEC Country.

“It was an honor to hear that one of the best coaches in the game of football wanted to meet with me and my family.”

That wasn’t the only message Miles imparted over the weekend.

After Orgeron and Cameron raved about the 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive lineman during the “Boys From The Boot” camp earlier in February, Jones was taken aback by what LSU’s head coach had to say upon their first face-to-face meeting.

“He said I have some great grandparents who keep me on track, and they were telling him (Miles) how good of a kid I was,” Jones recalled. “We really just talked about football and family and life after football, as well as developing a relationship with my grandparents and that he cares about me.

“It’s letting me know that he cares about me — not only on the field but off the field, too. He’s developing a relationship that isn’t just about football.”

Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron is set to be LSU’s new recruiting coordinator...

Orgeron, the Louisiana native who recently completed his first season with the Tigers, will receive a raise and extension with his new title. Orgeron’s old two-year deal expired next March and paid him $450,000...

Tigers have been without a recruiting coordinator since Frank Wilson left Jan. 15 to be the head coach at Texas-San Antonio.

Orgeron, 54, served as recruiting coordinator during two stints at Southern Cal, and he’s known nationwide as one of the most aggressive and successful recruiters. His first three signing classes in his second stint as recruiting coordinator at Southern Cal — 2010-2013 — ranked third twice and ninth nationally, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

Teams have pursued Orgeron heavily since the Trojans passed on him as their head coach in 2013. The Larose native and former Northwestern State defensive lineman did not coach in 2014 before landing what he calls his dream job at LSU in 2015. As recently as January, Mississippi State pursued the coach for its opening at defensive coordinator.

Lewis underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum this past week, he confirmed to SEC Country.

“I had messed it up during the season,” Lewis said. “I had a torn labrum, but I played with it torn during the season, but I’m good, though. I’ll be back at in May.”

According to Lewis’ timeline, recovery should take up to three months.

The four-star prospect played both quarterback and defensive back at Wossman High School (Monroe, La.), but projects as a safety at the next level. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder is one of two safeties embedded in LSU’s incoming signing class, and was rated the 13th-best safety among all 2016 recruits.

LSU listed White as a running back on national signing day, but he and the coaching staff decided that inside linebacker was a better fit -- apparently well before Monday’s practice.

"[The coaches] went around the room, we voted, we talked about his skills. We talked about his lower-body skills and his upper-body skills and we talked about his contact," Miles said. "And really to be honest with you, he texted me and he said, 'Hey listen, I was thinking maybe if I played linebacker I could get on the field sooner.' I said, 'That might be true.' And so what we did is we gave him an opportunity, and I think he’s doing really a lot with it."

Elite New Orleans pass-rusher Sci Martin signed his letter of intent with LSU on Monday as a late addition to the Tigers’ recruiting class.

Martin chose LSU over SEC West rival Alabama and TCU, to which he was committed when Signing Day came and went...

“I looked at it as a business decision,” he added. “It was stressful, but I think my mom and my parents helped make things a little bit easier. When my mom was sick, it helped me through the process because she encouraged me to keep going. Basically, I saw my mom was sick and I had the opportunity to go back and forth, and it really hit me to go to LSU.”

Thompson indicated to SEC Country that LSU has come on the strongest since his pledge to the Bulldogs.

“I still have great relationships with Coach Cam (Cameron) and Coach (Les) Miles up there,” Thompson said. “We can still talk about everything, and if I need anything I can still talk to them. I had a talk with Coach Cam and he let me know how everything is going, his plans and things like that. He reassured me that (LSU) is still recruiting me and going to continue to recruit me until signing day.”

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound New Orleans native has a longstanding relationship with first-year Tigers running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, who he believes is a great hire for LSU.

Thompson hopes to see LSU open up its offense, which he believes will help with recruiting and perhaps with his own decision. Coaches have clued the quarterback in on the transition since last summer.

For now, the Landry-Walker High School (New Orleans) product remains a hard Mississippi State commit.

The nation’s No. 6 running back is also being courted by an array of SEC teams, including one of his home state teams in Texas A&M, as well as Alabama, Arkansas and UGA. He’s visited both Athens, Ga., and College Station

LSU wanted a two quarterback class in 2017 and the Tigers landed one on Saturday as three-star signal-caller Myles Brennan ... and ranked the No. 22 pro-style passer in the country.

It was offer that the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from Bay St. Louis (Miss.) St. Stanislaus accepted over offers from Cal, Memphis, Cincinnati, Indian, Wisconsin, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wake Forest and others.

St. Stanislaus 2017 quarterback verbally committed Saturday to LSU on the same day he received the offer. Brennan, the top-rated pro-style quarterback prospect in Mississippi, has more than 15 offers to play at the next level.

MB: I went to Oklahoma State and thought that, you know, since they do the spread and that’s what I do that it’d be good and I was excited about that and was excited to go up there. A week after I went up to that visit, they had a 2017 quarterback commit so I called the coach and asked how many quarterbacks they were taking and he said they were only taking one. So I thought, ‘Well, that’s that.’ It was a little disappointing, but I sat down with my parents and we said that everything happens for a reason. I had to stay positive and keep moving forward.

TCL: And then LSU happens?

MB: Then this past Wednesday, [LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron] messaged me on Twitter when I was in class and asked me to give him a call because he was on the way to our school. I quickly ran into my coach’s office and gave him a call. He got there, brought his iPad and we just did a little workout that we usually do. He filmed it all and sent it to [LSU head coach Les Miles]. On Thursday coach Cameron told me that if he could offer me right then, he would because he wants me to be the 2017 quarterback for LSU, but it obviously has to go to coach Miles. Then he called me later and asked if there was any way I can go there Saturday so I told him that I would.

TCL:What goes through your mind on that trip?

MB: The whole ride over there, I didn’t want to get my hopes up because I didn’t know if I was going to get an offer or not, but at the same time, I knew if they were going to offer, I was going to go ahead and pull the trigger.

When Myles Brennan made the short trip to Baton Rouge last weekend with his parents, Owen and Megan, and St. Stanislaus coach Bill Conides, he was hopeful but not expectant.

The Rockachaws quarterback had visited Oklahoma State earlier in the month to see what the Cowboys were all about but didn't return to Bay St. Louis with his 16th offer.

This trip went much differently.

LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron had visited St. Stanislaus earlier in the week and came away so impressed he wasted no time setting up an "all-about-you day" for Brennan and his family on LSU's campus.

On the drive over, Brennan tried to stay on an even keel.

"I didn't want to get my hopes up. This recruiting process, as I have learned, can be tricky, stressful and overwhelming," he said.

"I didn't want to get my hopes up and maybe not get offered and then go home disappointed."

About 20 minutes into the 2 1/2-hour conversation, Miles cut the chit-chat and got down to business.

After raving about what Brennan had already accomplished at SSC -- the video game passing numbers, his poise in the pocket and accuracy -- Miles offered the 6-foot-4, 180-pound quarterback.

When it got to the point where the two sides said their goodbyes, Brennan acted.

"I just said, 'Coach, I want to go ahead and shake your hand and tell you I'm going to go ahead and commit,'" he said. "At that time, he just started screaming and tears started coming out of his eyes. He gave me a big ol' hug. My parents started tearing up and crying because they didn't know it was coming.

"No one knew it was happening. It just came out. It just felt like it was time."

How's the fit?

Prior to committing, Brennan had a couple of questions for Miles like most outsiders have probably wondered since hearing about the fit.

How does a QB who has thrown for more than 11,000 yards and 117 touchdowns in two seasons mesh with a program that loves to pound the rock?

5-foot-11, 170-pound prospect out of the Lone Star State finally reeled in the offer from LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond...

“It means a lot,” Vincent told SEC Country of the offer,” and I definitely have a lot of interest. The athletes that they develop … (they’re) easy multimillionaire defensive backs. They’re guys who have worked and have been developed, and now they’re being paid at the highest level for what they do.”

Multimillionaire defensive backs? That’s a whole new twist on “DBU.”

Vincent, a four-star cornerback out of Memorial High School (Port Arthur, Texas), believes he fits the criteria.

The Tigers were his 26th reported offer and his eighth from an SEC power.

Vincent has strong ties to the LSU football program already.

Class of 2016 LSU safety signee Eric Monroe and LSU’s top safety target in the Class of 2017 Grant Delpit are among some of Vincent’s closest friends and colleagues in the Texas 7-on-7 circuit.

Within a span of four days, LSU added five commitments to its 2017 class. On Tuesday afternoon, offensive guard Saahdiq Charles of Madison Ridgeland Academy in Jackson, Miss., became the latest to "pull the trigger."

Charles, at 6-foot-5, 315-pounds, is originally from New Orleans but was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He calls Louisiana home, so LSU was the clear choice.

"I grew up a fan of LSU, plus the relationship with me and Coach (Jeff) Grimes," Charles cited as his main reasons for selecting the Tigers over Mississippi State and others.

Katrina forced 2017 recruit Saahdiq Charles to Mississippi, but LSU could bring him home

Katrina forced 2017 recruit Saahdiq Charles to Mississippi, but LSU could bring him home

Charles received an offer from LSU in early April

Catholic-Baton Rouge defensive end Aaron Moffitt, the son of LSU strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt, joins Texas offensive lineman Austin Deculus, junior college wide receiver Stephen Guidry and Georgia fullback Tory Carter as new commitments to the program in the past few days.

When asked about being the fifth commitment in the last few days, Charles said: "We're going to be a great class and even more (commitments) to come!"

"I'm going to shut it down after the commitment," he told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune last week. "I'm ready for it to be over with and focus on being the best I can be for my senior year."

Charles, a three-star offensive lineman out of Mississippi, committed to LSU last Thursday in advance of the Bayou Picnic.

Truth be told, the Magnolia State’s 12th-rated prospect in the Class of 2017 was the first of five LSU commitments in as many days leading up to and following the Picnic weekend.

Charles selected LSU over Mississippi State in a decision that came down to the wire.

“I’d say last week when I actually committed to them,” Charles said of his thought process. “It was just the great relationship I had with Coach Grimes and the class we have coming in. It’s going to be special.”

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Former Edna Karr defensive end and LSU signee Andre Anthony is not expected to report with other freshmen this week for summer classes, a source confirmed to The Advocate on Thursday.

Anthony joins St. Thomas Aquinas defensive tackle Edwin Alexander as players who won’t be moving in over the weekend and beginning classes Monday. Alexander, the eighth-ranked defensive end in the 2016 class who’s expected to play nose tackle, will work this summer to reach eligibility. The staff expects him to qualify by August.

Anthony’s situation is different than that of Alexander. It involves a hangup with the NCAA clearinghouse.

The NCAA is requesting Anthony produce coursework from his year and a half spent at Miller McCoy Academy in New Orleans. Miller McCoy shut down last year, and acquiring the coursework has been difficult, the source said. It’s unclear when or if the NCAA will clear Anthony, the 15th-ranked weak-side defensive end in the 2016 class.

HOUSTON — Mannie Netherly has had to re-evaluate his options since de-committing from Texas A&M just more than a month ago.

LSU is one of the schools the 4-star Texas wide receiver is oft-connected to.

6-foot-2, 183-pound prospect included LSU in his top six this past weekend along with Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M, among others, largely because of his relationship with the school.

“They made me feel like I was at home every time I came up there,” Netherly told SEC Country on Tuesday at LSU’s satellite camp at North Shore High School (Houston).

“When I’m there, I get a feeling that this could be a possible place for me. I have family in Louisiana, close to Baton Rouge, so going up there I get to see family and my family can see me, and I know it’s not going to be a problem so it’s like home.”